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Factors affecting the English speaking learning process of English major students at Thuongmai University Factors affecting the English speaking learning process of English major students at Thuongmai University Factors affecting the English speaking learning process of English major students at Thuongmai University Factors affecting the English speaking learning process of English major students at Thuongmai University
THUONGMAI UNIVERSITY ENGLISH FACULTY - - GRADUATION PAPER A STUDY ON THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE ENGLISH SPEAKING LEARNING PROCESS OF ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY Supervisor : Hoang Thi Thuy, M.A Student : Nguyen Thuy Quynh Class Student’s number : K52N1 : 16D170038 HANOI - 2020 ABSTRACT In the trend of globalization today, the importance of English can not be denied and ignored because it is widely used all around the world Along with the development of technology, medicine, engineering and education these are the fields where English plays the most important role However, speaking English is often considered as a neglected skill in foreign language education and accepted as the most complex and difficult skill to acquire (Ur, 1996) Especially, in Vietnam, the students have some troubles in speaking and communication in English Therefore, the study is an attempt to investigate the factors affecting English speaking learning process of English major students at Thuong mai University and the possible suggestions for improving English speaking skill The subject of the study were 100 students of English Faculty at Thuongmai University The research methods used in this study were questionnaires and interview Based on the results from the study, solutions and suggested recommendation were made The study was hoped to help students improve their English speaking skill Keywords: English speaking skill i ACKNOWLEGDEMENTS During the process of fulfilling this Graduation Paper, I have received a great of support, guidance and encouragement from my teacher as well as my friends and my family First and foremost, I would like to express my sincerely thanks to my supervisor, Ms Hoang Thi Thuy, for her great help, guidance, tireless support and encouragement during my study Her detailed comments and useful advice helped me to shape my ideas and to finish the graduation paper as expected She also created favorable conditions and provided many materials as well as encouragement for me to fulfill this study Without her enthusiastic help and support, I couldn’t be able to complete this study on schedule Besides, I am very grateful to all the lecturers of the English Faculty whose lectures have enriched my English knowledges during years Secondly, I would like to express my thanks for the cooperation from the English major students at TMU who took part in the survey I was able to complete the study The useful information they provided for me is so important to the analysis of this study Additionally I must also acknowledge my debt to my friends my dear friends for their great help and encouragement through my hard times carrying out the thesis Finally, I am indebted to my loving parents for their continuous encouragement and support during my study Thanks to their devotion, I have overcome the difficult times and completed this paper Hanoi, April 24th 2020 Student Nguyen Thuy Quynh ii TABLE OF CONTENT ABSTRACT i ACKNOWLEGDEMENTS ii TABLE OF CONTENT iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS v LIST OF TABLES, DIAGRAMS AND FIGURES vi CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY 1.1 Rationale of the study 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Scope of the study 1.4 Research subjects 1.5 Previous studies 1.5.1 Studies abroad 1.5.2 Studies in Vietnam .4 1.6 Research question 1.7 Research methodology 1.8 Structure of the study CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 An overview of speaking skill 2.1.1 Some basic definitions .7 2.1.2 The importance of English speaking skill 2.1.3 Characteristics of speaking skill 10 2.1.4 Types of speaking skills 11 2.2 Learning English speaking 11 2.2.1 Vocabulary 12 2.2.2 Grammar 15 2.2.3 Accuracy and fluency .16 2.3 Speaking Problems .17 2.4 Factors affecting the English speaking learning process 18 2.4.1 Cognitive factors 18 iii 2.4.2 Linguistic factors .19 2.4.3 Affective factors 19 2.4.4 Listening skill 19 2.4.5 Feedback during the speaking tasks 20 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS 20 3.1 The survey questionnaires 21 3.1.1 Students’ real situation of learning English speaking skill 21 3.1.2 Factors affecting English speaking skill 26 3.1.3 English speaking skill methods and strategies .27 3.2 Discussions 29 3.2.1 The advantages 29 3.2.2 The limitations 30 CHAPTER CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATIONS 31 4.1 Summary of the study 31 4.2 Suggested recommendations .31 4.2.1 To students 31 4.2.2 To teacher 35 4.2.3 To university .36 CONCLUSION 38 REFERENCES APPENDICES iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS TMU: Thuong mai University WTO: World Trade Organization IPA: International Phonetic Alphabet v LIST OF TABLES, DIAGRAMS AND FIGURES No Name Chart 3.1 Chart 3.2 Chart 3.3 Chart 3.4 Chart 3.5 Content Students’ attitude toward learning English speaking skill Frequency in practicing English speaking Students’ assessments of English speaking skill Students’ ability to keep up with English classes The frequency of being corrected by the teacher when 10 Chart 3.6 Chart 3.7 Chart 3.8 Table 3.1 Table 3.2 students speak English Factors affecting students' speaking learning process Environment chosen to improve English speaking skill Ways of improve speaking skill Students’ difficulties in speaking English Students’ opinions on TMU English courses vi Page 21 22 23 23 24 26 27 28 25 29 CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY 1.1 Rationale of the study Nowadays, English has become very popular language around the world There are more than 700 million English users in the world which is a terrible number to prove the importance of English Especially when Vietnam becomes an official member of the WTO as well as other international organizations, the opportunity to trade with neighboring countries is increasing widely Therefore, English is essential factor for us to communicate, trade, negotiate and gain some certain achievements Realizing the importance of English, Vietnam has been strongly investing in English teaching in the education system, it is taught for students from primary school or even at the kindergarten However, roundly 80% of Vietnamese students who spend 6-8 years learning English and only 20% of whom can speak English fluently This fact shows that the system should be focusing on English speaking skill in order to develop all skills equally As we know, English speaking skill is regarded as one of the most difficult aspects of language learning Many language learners find it difficult to express themselves in spoken language Generally, they have trouble in expressing their thoughts in English effectively and not know how to use suitable and accuracy words to communicate In Vietnam, almost secondary schools and high schools mainly focus on vocabulary and grammar Only when going to university, students have opportunities to use a lot English speaking to communicate, interact with teachers and partners, make speech and presentations Therefore, in this study, the researcher will explore the main factors affecting the English speaking learning process of English Faculty students at Thuongmai University as well as give some recommendations on improving speaking skill effectively The study is carried out in order to help improving English speaking skill for English Faculty students The official title of the study is “ Factors affecting the English speaking learning process of English major students at Thuongmai University” Through this study, the reseacher hopes it can provide the information about some important factors regarding English speaking and furthermore to help students become fluent English speakers 1.2 Aims of the study With above spoken things, the main aim of this study is identifying the main factors affecting the English Speaking process of English Faculty students The another aim is suggesting realistic and effective ways to improve English speaking skill 1.3 Scope of the study The scope of the study is English-major students at TMU and is conducted on 100 students in one-month period According to the aims of the study, this study tries to find out some factors affecting the English speaking learning process of Englishmajor students at Thuongmai University Based on that, the suggested techniques and recommendations on improving English speaking skill are specifically created for English Faculty students in particular and students at TMU in general Hopefully, the study will help students have a general overview of factors and possible solutions in improving English speaking skill 1.4 Research subjects The study focuses on the factors affecting the English speaking learning process of English- major students at Thuongmai University The author carried out to seek factors that are commonly made in English speaking learning process by English major students at TMU Based on the problems are found, it is essential to find out possible solutions to improve English speaking skill 1.5 Previous studies Some previous studies relating to this reseach topic will be analyzed While some of them suggest different techniques, methods and activities on English teaching or English learing, the others point out difficulties when speaking 1.5.1 Studies abroad In the research under the title: “Pre-Service English Teachers’ Beliefs on Speaking Skill Based on Motivational Orientations” by Ali Dincer and Savas Yesilyurt (2013) The researchers carried out a study towards teachers’ beliefs on speaking skills based on motivational orientations The results of their study indicated that the teachers had negative opinions about speaking instruction though they believed that it was of great significance in speaking skill The results also revealed that the teachers felt unskilled in oral communication though they had various motivational orientations towards speaking English The researchers indicated that that learners have different opinions about the significance of speaking skill in English language and this difference is related with the learners’ motivational orientations and their competent/incompetent feelings in speaking skill The results demonstrated that learners’ self-assessment about their speaking skill was negative and they expressed themselves as incapable speakers of English Just some of them expressed that they had a good position in taking part in speaking tasks Other previous studies related to this topic is “ The Relationship between Listening and Other Language Skills in International English Language Testing System at Queensland University of Technology, Queensland, Australia” by Hossein Bozorgian (2012) The study was an attempt to investigate the relationship between listening skill and the other language skills The results revealed that there is a close relation between listening comprehension and language proficiency That is, the higher the listening skill, the better the speaking skill The author also stated in the study that to enhance verbal communication skill, learners should be enhancing their listening skill as well Despite this statement, the author did not mention any approach to improve listening skill Urrutia and Vega (2010), Encouraging Teenagers to Improve Speaking Skills through Games in a Colombian Public School This study was implemented with tenth grade students of a public school located in the Usme Zone in Bogotá The results of study show that learners’ oral performance was influenced by their lack of vocabulary, diffidence, and fear of being despised It was also indicated that learners’ cooperation, self-confidence, vocabulary knowledge, and the class environment encouraged them to improve their speaking skills 3.1.3.3 Students’ opinions on TMU English course Table 3.2 Students’ opinions on TMU English courses Teaching methods Teaching staffs Textbooks Facilities Excellent Good Average 11% 12% 7% 13% 28.5% 45.5% 31% 33% 47.5% 38% 53.5% 40.5% Below average 13% 5.5% 8.5% 13.5% The table 3.2 answered the question “What is your opinion on TMU English speaking courses TMU English course was represented by teaching conditions including teaching methods, teaching staff, textbooks and facilities With the teaching methods, 11% of students chose excellent, 28.5% shared the same answer was good while nearly half of them chose average and the last 17% chose below average Teaching staffs are always highly appreciated by their dedication and willingness to help students in any conditions with more 50% chosen is good and excellent by students and only 5.5% is below average It is referred to the facilities, 13% of participants stated that they were excellent, 33% of them thought the facilities were good because university changes new appearance and gradually develops and more 1/3 of them chose below average and the rest chose average 3.2 Discussions 3.2.1 The advantages Almost students have been taught English when they was children.In the preschool, pupils have been learning some the most simple like alphabet and numbers At the secondary and high school, they have sustainable knowledge of English such as vocabulary, grammar structures Because of learning background, they have some difficulties in learning ang improving English speaking skill In spite of the fact that, they have effective learning method and try them best, they will easily gain achievements and improve language skills 29 3.2.2 The limitations Besides, they are influenced by traditional methods in learning English They only focus on learning reading and writing, ignore speaking skill The teachers in high school also supply the knowledge for them to overcome tests without speaking and listening skills However, they may have a large vocabulary and excellent grammar and they don’t have the environment to practice English speaking skill Therefore, they are fearful and inconfident when communicating with teachers or native speakers Moreover, the curriculum and teaching methods are changed They are easily shocked with the current teaching and learning methods at universities Lastly, the spirit of self-learning is not highly appreciated The students are still not possitive in learning 30 CHAPTER CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATIONS In this last chapter, the another issue of the report was handled by giving recommendations for students to improve their English speaking skill as well as suggesting some methods and activities for teachers and university to make English classes more interesting and efficient 4.1 Summary of the study After fulfilling a study on some factors affecting English speaking learning process of English major students at TMU, it is not difficult for the researcher to obtain some conclusions There are many factors that have significant effects on English speaking learning process of students The first factor is vocabulary Students are not able to speaking activities because they not know some key words and be lack of vocabulary Or simply, students usually forget vocabulary to make sentences in spite of knowing that The second factor is the listening skill Listening skill plays an important role in speaking performance Speakers have the role of both listeners and speakers If students unable to listen what the partners are saying, they will have difficulties in replying the partners and can not continue the conversation effectively That is to say, speaking is very closely related to listening Anxious and unconfident are also the factors affecting to the speaking learning process These factors make the speakers afraid of talking to other people or making a presentation, especially speak in public and in front of the crowed because of the feeling of fearfulness to make mistakes Besides, the author also carried out to collect some possible methods applied in learning speaking by English major students The findings of this study is expected to contribute to the improvement of learning in speaking skill 4.2 Suggested recommendations 4.2.1 To students 4.2.1.1 Expand your vocabulary Learning new words every day is one of great methods to enlarge vocabulary and improve English speaking skill The students must be glean new words day in, day out, it is a good way to widen their vocabulary The more new words they learn, the better 31 speaking they have There are some useful methods for them to learn new words Firstly, learners should make themselves commitment to a suitable target: it can be three daily words or can be ten daily words Even if they only have time to learn one new word a day, it is still worth trying By learning new words every day, after one year students will have learned 365 English words Students can write down some new words that they have read in articles and news or any lessons from the lectures in paper many times and make sentences consisting of these new words If students have a learning partner, share it with him/her that he/she can check on their progress An important thing in learning new words is that learners have to learn different forms of the words and even the synonym and antonyms words to enlarge the knowledge Some good resources for words are the news, songs and TV shows depending on your daily habits If students love listening music, they must pay attention to lyrics and take note the words they not know Some songs often contain a lot of useful vocabulary, phrases and expressions, these are absolutely great for learning English Students can the same thing with any programs and channels in English they like or news and articles In free time, learners should listen some websites such as VOA Learning English, Ted.com, BBC…to practice listening skill as well as widen new words Anything learners see or listen in articles or channels, they should try to summarize it in their own words and if they can not understand the meaning of one word, look up it on dictionary and remember to use English-English dictionary because it includes synonym form of this words and apply it on situation It is important that students learn words in groups For example, they refer to beverages as a glam of wine, a pin of beer, a cup of tea, a pot of coffee, etc It is better to learn those phrases than merely coffee, tea, wine and so on Students can also benefit from learning words that are related The moon has four phrases during a lunar month: crescent, gibbon, waxing and waning It is more efficient to learn all four words at the same time Besides, learning idioms is useful for you to improve speaking skill because native speakers sometimes use many idioms and phrases in communicating which students can imitate them to practice accents 32 Improve your pronunciation Good pronunciation is essential for speaking and understanding spoken English is a right word (vocabulary), in the right order (grammar) with the right sound (pronunciation) If learners have bad pronunciation, they can not listen what partners are saying and make them not to understand what learners say Improving pronunciation may also mean changing pronunciation Through improving pronunciation, students can speak English confidently The first way is learning the IPA and the individual sounds of English The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is the collection of symbols that represent the different sounds of a language When the learners know all the sounds of English and the symbols that represent those sounds, they will be able to say any words in English The second way is trying to imitate spoken English Learners listened and listened and listened to all the native speakers around and then try to repeat or make the same sound as them Student should listen carefully to what the speaker is saying and try to make the same sound which helps them to hear comprehensively and clearly and pronounce as exactly as possible However, when hearing the sounds, learners not try to see the word in their mind, only just repeat the sound that they hear After pronouncing the short words at a time, students may move on to long and difficult words and finally sentences to improve their vocabulary and pronunciation as well Also, students can look for some kinds of pronunciation books that are available in the foreign language bookshops with such books like “Mastering The American Accent” and “English Pronunciation Made Simple” to have more good knowledge about pronunciation and develop speaking skill 4.2.1.2 Improve listening skill In learning English as a foreign language, the learners can not improve speaking skill unless they improve listening skill, to successful conversation, they must understand what is said to them Later on, the ability to understand native speaker in direct conversation, on the radio or tape may be very important for them to further study the language and communicate 33 Furthermore, listening to spoken English is an important way of acquiring the language of “picking up” structures, vocabulary The fact that people with low listening skill can not have good speaking skill Listening to music or watching movies and videos in English without subtitles, students can improve the listening skill when they practice every day Of course, this activity not only can improve English vocabulary but it also helps learners connect with English speaking culture, make new friend, and it helps learners have good knowledge of different places in the world Student must take their time to listen or watch several times, then try to imitate what is listened to them and take note new words they not understand or listen again and again the words or sentences they can not listen, consequently listening and speaking skill can be improved significantly Also, students can open any interesting songs or programs before going to bed to relax and get used to accent of English native speakers 4.2.1.3 Practice 4.2.1.3.1 Practice with partners It is more effective for the students when finding a partner to practice English speaking with This partner should share the same level as you or at higher level for the sake of helping each other to progress The more partner they have, the more they will learn from them If both of them are the same target, it makes quickly progress By practicing with short conversation with simple topic at first and then raise the level, students can gain some good tips for themselves at higher levels A great way to improve student’s speaking ability is thinking in English If students already think in English, it takes less time to produce or respond in everyday conversation And it is no need to translate! To start rethinking, students should keep a diary when they express their daily thoughts in English Partner can help learners everyday if they share something and talk to them about their story, feelings, ideas… It is undeniable that practicing with native speakers is one of the fastest way to improve students’ intonation, pronunciation, stress, vocabulary as well as their confidence There are many methods to speak with natives, such as going outside and finding foreign tourists to make conversation or make foreign friends in Facebook or many media transports and talk with them by video call, even buying some online 34 lessons which are taught by foreign teachers… Through that, students not only practice speaking skill but also improve listening skill and become more confident to communicate 4.2.1.3.2 Participating in English club In the integration period, English is more essential for all people, especially those who want to find well-paid job, and more and more English-speaking clubs opened for learners who are interested in English and wish to well-perform the language The objective of this is to find people sharing the same passion for learning English and want to develop English skills When students join these clubs, it can be their own university they are studying or any club related English, they have opportunities to make new friends, to talk free about various topic, share their ideas, knowledge, techniques to help them develop English skills and learn from other as well What’s more, joining in English club also help students be more confident to make speech or presentation in public, give their ideas and opinions without being afraid Student should spend time at least once a week to gather and practice English to improve English step by step 4.2.1.3.3 Practice by self-talk Self-talk is one of the best ways to become a good English speaker In daily life, learners sometime talk to themselves and now to improve speaking skill, they try to talk to themselves in English loudly It can be anything from a suggestion like “Shall we go to get a glass of water?” or a reminder “I need to a load of laundry today” By using it, learners can practice reaction with English and correct their pronunciation Alternatively, pick up a book and read a couple of pages out loud This exercise might slow down your reading, but it will speed up their speaking skill It is essential for them to record themselves, listen to the record and watch out for any wrong pronunciation If it is possible, learners should ask for feedback from a native speaker Based on that, learners can make a quick progress and speak English accurately and fluently 4.2.2 To teacher The students can’t be good without help and guidance from the teacher Teachers play an important role in driving students as well as improving their English speaking 35 skill, so the supply of background knowledge and correct of mistakes made by students depend on the teachers Firstly, the teacher should create an active, creative and motivational environment to motivate student to be more confident and comfortable to make speech in classroom Besides, some activities or games related to English speaking can also be added while teaching to make students be interested in learning English Teachers could organize or encourage students to make conversations with each other using English, give some extra exercises on making speech and presentations for individuals Moreover, teachers should establish good relationship with students, give constructive feedback to encourage them to participate in the class activities Secondly, the teacher staff should usually update some new teaching methods so that they can give their students the best and the most effective lessons to help them develop in the learning process and support them useful knowledge that the students need The teachers can organize English speaking contests to encourage the students to take part in and have chances to practice English with their friends Teachers can follow Harmer’s suggestion (2005) by organizing the following activities in the classroom: a role-play, a discussion activity, an opinion sharing activity, a reasoning gap activity, and prepare talks Finally, pointing out some student’s mistakes involves the smallest one like pronunciation, grammar, is essential for the teachers that help students make a progress day by day Teachers should understand their students’ demand and expectation to find the good way to improve students’ English speaking skill 4.2.3 To university For Thuongmai university, in improving speaking for students, it is essential to focus on teaching English speaking instead of concentrate on other skill as listening, reading and writing Students will develop speaking and listening skill quickly and effectively if university can hire more English native teachers to help them be closer to native English Spoken with native speakers, students become more confident and better at communicating Modern facilities are probably give students more interests in studying, for example, high-tech equipments should be applied to English teaching such as 36 projectors, speakers and so on Thanks to these modern tools, learners can attain knowledge faster and more effectively As a result, they will have a better studying environment to improve their study in general and English speaking skills in particular It is also suggested that university should have a yearly English speaking contest organized for both students of English Faculty and those of other faculties to stimulate the creation, dynamism and ability of speaking English of TMU’s students In addition, the university needs to have incentive policies such as scholarships for students with great performances as well as giving essential supports for underprivileged students who make great efforts in studying 37 CONCLUSION Speaking skill is an imprortant receptive skill and also useful preparation for communication in real life Thanks to the English speaking skill, people can convey their feelings to listeners in the process of diplomatic relations and economic coorperation and other fields in today’s context The topic shows the significance of language learning in general, in which English speaking skill plays an important role as well as key skills among English skills What the author attempt to in this study is to investigate factors affecting English speaking learning process of English major students at TMU Basing on the result of the study, some suggestions to improve this skill are alo made to the students as well as some recommendations for teacher to help students overcome difficulties in speaking English As far as limitations are concerned, the study has been carried out with 100 students, thus the conclusions drawn are restricted Therefore, it would be more interesting to apply it to bigger group to make results more generalized In addition, the research’s findings and recommendations are only appropriate in TMU, English major’s context It could be unreasonable and untrue for any other documents, students and settings The research would like to make the contribution to develop the English speaking skill at the school through this study The author hope that this study will help students find some possible solutions to improve their English speaking skill 38 REFERENCES Asher, J J (2003) Learning Another Language through Actions (6th edition) Los Gatos, CA: Sky Oaks Productions, Inc Baker, J., &Westrup, H (2003) Essential Speaking Skills: A Handbook for English Language Teachers London: Continuum Brown, H D (1994) Teaching by Principles-An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy Prentice Hall Regents Bueno, A., Madrid, D., & McLaren, N (2006) TEFL in Secondary Education Granada: Editorial Universidad de Granada Burkart, G & Sheppard, K (2004) Content ESL across the USA: A Training Packet A Descriptive Study of Content-ESL Practices National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition Burns, A & Joyce, H (1997) Focus on Speaking Sydney: National Center for English Language Teaching and Research Bygate, M (1987) Speaking Oxford: Oxford University Press Chaney, A (1998) Teaching Oral Communication in Grades K-8 USA A Viacom Company Cameron, L (2001) Teaching Languages to Young Learners Cambridge University Press 10 Davies, P.,& Pearse, E (2000) Success in English Teaching Oxford University Press 11 Eckard, R., & Kearny, M (1981) Teaching Conversational Skills in ESL Washington: Center of Applied Linguistics 12 Efrizal, D (2012) Improving Students’ Speaking through Communicative Language Teaching Method at MtsJaalhaq, Sentot Ali Basa Islamic Boarding School of Bengkulu, Indonesia International Journal of Humanities and Social Science 13 Florez, M A (1999) Improving Adult English Language Learners’ Speaking Skills ERIC Digest (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No ED: 435204) 14 Gass, S &Varionis, E (1994) Input, Interaction and Second Language Production Studies in Second language Acquisition 15 Harmer, J (2007) The Practice of English language teaching England: Reason Longman 16 Howarth, P (2001) Process Speaking Preparing to Repeat Yourself MET, 10(1), 39-44 17 Hilferty, A (2005) The Relationship between Reading and Speaking Skills Focus on Basics 18 Hossein Bozorgian (2012) The Relationship between Listening and Other Language Skills in International English Language Testing System at Queensland University of Technology, Queensland, Australia 19 Mofreh Alqahtani (2015) The Importance of Vocabulary in Languge Learning and How to be taught 20 Nunan, D (1995) Language Teaching Methodology: A Textbook for Teachers NY: Phoenix Ltd., p 593 21 Regina, S (1993) English Language Arts: A Curriculum Guide for the Middle Level (Grades 6-9) Canada: Saskatchewan Education 22 Rivers, W M (1981) Teaching Foreign Language Skills (2nd edition) Chicago: University of Chicago Press 23 Richards, J C., & Rodgers, T S (2001) Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 24 Thornbury, S (2005) How to Teach Speaking Harmer, J (Ed) London: Longman 25 Trachsel, M & Severino C (2004) The Challenges of Integrating and Balancing Speaking and Writing in First-Year Rhetoric Classes 26 Urrutia and Vega (2010) Encouraging Teenagers to Improve Speaking Skills through Games in a Colombian Public School 27 Nguyen Hoang Tuan and Tran Ngoc Mai (2015) Factors affecting students’ speaking performance at Le Thanh Hien High School Asian Journal of Educational Research, 3(2), 8-23 28 Nguyen Phuong Anh (2018) A study on improving English speaking skill for first-year students in English faculty at Thuongmai University 29 Danh Thi Ha (2019) A study on the reality of learning English speaking skill of the first-year English majored students at Thuong Mai University and solutions APPENDICES SURVEY QUESTION FOR ENGLISH MAJORED STUDENTS AT TMU I am so glad if you help me to fill the following questionnaire in order to obtain information for my final research for my graduation paper I guarantee you the discretion of your answers, thanks in advance for your help Answer the following questions with a check (√) the answers according to your criteria We ask for your honesty when answering each question since this will help to obtain reliable information for our investigation only Put tick(s)(√) to choose the suitable answer(s) for the following questions: What is your opinion about the importance of English speaking skill? □ Very important □ Fairly important □ A little important □ Not important Others (Please specify): ……………………………… How often you practice speaking English? □ Everyday □ Every week □Seldom □ Never □ Others (Please specify): ……………………………… How would you rate your speaking skill? □ Excellent □ Good □ Average □ Poor □ Others (Please specify): ……………………………… Do you find it hard to keep up with English classes? □ Yes, I always □ Yes, I sometimes □ Not really □ No, I not □ Other methods (Please specify): ……………………………… Are you corrected by the teacher when you speak English? □ Always □ Usually □ Sometimes □ Never □ Others (Please specify): ……………………………… What difficulties you have while speaking English? Always Often Sometimes Never Making grammatical errors Pronouncing wrongly Lack of confident to communicate Having not reaction to respond in English Having no ideas when speaking Others (Please specify): …………………… What factors affect your speaking learning process? (You can have more than one choice) □ Psychological factor (shyness/fear, ) □ Lack of vocabulary □ Influence of mother - tongue □ Limited grammar □ Bad pronunciation □ Feedback during speaking activities □ Poor topical knowledge □ Lack of listening ability □ Others (please specify)………………………………………… What ways have you used to improve your speaking skill? □ Self-learning □ Learning in English center □ Learning at school □ Practicing with partners □ Others (please specify): ……………………………… What methods you apply to improve your speaking skill? □ Expanding vocabulary □ Improving pronunciation □ Speech shadowing □ Participating in English Speaking Clubs □ Listening and Repeating □ Communicating with the native speakers 10 What is your opinion on TMU English speaking courses? Excellent Good Average Below average Teaching methods Teaching staffs Textbooks Facilities Others (Please specify): ……………………… Thank you very much for taking your valuable time to complete this survey Your opinions are greatly appreciated ... improve English speaking skill Therefore, the following questions need answering: - What are the factors affecting the English speaking learning process of English major students at Thuongmai University? ... the English speaking learning process of English- major students at Thuongmai University The author carried out to seek factors that are commonly made in English speaking learning process by English. .. the students have some troubles in speaking and communication in English Therefore, the study is an attempt to investigate the factors affecting English speaking learning process of English major